1:48 MiG-17 F (GDR - Lim 5) - Zoom Set (for Kinetic Kits)

The real subject

The MiG-17 was a Soviet subsonic fighter with a swept wing and a single jet engine. The MiG-17F version received an engine with an afterburner, and that is what the letter F in the designation stands for. Under the name Lim-5 the same aircraft was built under license in Poland, and machines of this origin also flew with the East German Air Force, to which the abbreviation in the name of the item refers.

What the Zoom set is

Zoom is a narrower selection from a photo-etched set, concentrated on what is most visible on a finished model, that is, above all on the cockpit. Photo-etch is a thin metal sheet with shapes etched into it. It replaces plastic parts where they would have to be unnaturally thick and adds small things that cannot be molded. According to its name the set is cut for the Kinetic kits in 1:48 scale; which parts it contains and where they belong is shown by the manufacturer's instructions.

Building and painting tips

Finish the interior and glue the photo-etch in before you join the fuselage halves, as you will not reach it afterwards. Separate the parts with a sharp blade on a hard surface and sand the remains of the connecting tab away. Make the bends over a sharp edge or in a bending tool, so that they are straight along their whole length. Glue with cyanoacrylate glue in drops, as cement for polystyrene does not hold on metal. Degrease the parts you are going to paint beforehand and spray them with a primer, otherwise the paint does not hold on smooth metal.

Who it is for

For modelers who are building the MiG-17F in 1:48 scale and want a cockpit more detailed than injection-molded plastic allows. The contents of the package are a photo-etched set; the kit, paints and glue are not included, unless stated otherwise.